Every few years this question gets asked and the responses are always interesting.

So, what wines in your cellar are you the most excited about cracking and why? (not a platform to brag, as the answers always range from the elite, to edifying, to obscure - and interestingly enough - usually those who have the most extensive cellars are more interested in the latter)

Personally, I'm most excited about:

1) 2000 La Tache: I've only had La Tache once and it was a '55 that was tragically OTH.
2) 1988 R Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Blanco Reserva: These are always my favorite white wines and I've yet to try the '88.
3) 1996 Bartolo Mascarello: While I've already had it, I'm even more excited to try this in 15 years than the 96 Monfortino or 96 Giacosa Riserva.
4) 1995 Leroy Clos de Vougeot: despite the controversy, I dig Leroy and don't often get to drink them.
5) 1985 Contino Reserva: I haven’t had this vintage of Contino before - has Plotnicki ever been wrong?

Dammit Joe! The only way I can keep from drinking some of my wines is to forget I have them. Exercises like this force me to look under the dust and when I do that I get tempted to open something I shouldn't. Herrrre my precccioussssss....

1. '96 Monprivato - because I don't have the Bartolo or the Giacosa riserva (but Joe does...mwahhhahahahaa)
2. '99 Merryvale Profile - because we bought this on our honeymoon and at the time it was quite a leap for us to spend more than $30 on any wine that we werent going to consume immediately. This wine drove me to get our first lil wine fridge.
3. '90 Chave - a wonderful gift from Anonymous Donor that I'm very excited to open but know that I should wait a few (many?) more years.
4. '97 Chapoutier Le Bernardine CdP - Lill and I had this on our first date and I finally found another bottle of it. The recent reviews are only average at best and it was never a really great wine but it will be fun reminiscing when we open it.
5. Flight of 3:1995 - Muga Prado Enea, La Rioja Alta 904 GR, CVNE Vina Real GR - This will be a fun tasting in 10-15yrs.

Well the only one burning holes for me is the 1968 Mastrobernadino Tarausi Riserva, because I've heard so much about it being the Holy Grail of aglianico. Very curious about it and cannot wait to pop it open. But what would pair with it??

JoePerry wrote:So, what wines in your cellar are you the most excited about cracking and why?

Wow, what a tough question, especially since my cellar inventory isn't at hand at the mo. I'd say that necessarily all of those wines would be singles, since multiple copies lessens the sense of anticipation:

1. 1982 Gruaud-Larose (a gift from my wife before she was, and a wine that has bounced from NYC -> CA -> IN; I want to see how well it's survived)

A 2003 Dow--my only '03 Port and one I purchased by accident (clicked wrong line on an internet purchase and didn't catch it until I opened the shipment). If I open this beauty when it is in its prime then I will have enjoyed many more years of fine wine.

The 2003 Gros Frere Richebourg. Many questions about this vintage. By the time I crack into these I'll know whether I made the right choice.

Hmmmm....there are only two that offhand rise above all the others for me, a 1986 Petrus and a 1900 Madeira. Before last night (where it got dispatched) I might have added a 94 Silverado Reserve Cab--Silverado was kind of "our winery" when we were dating and I bought this for the sake of sentiment. And it will satisfy on that level, but I also expect it to tell us how far our palates have come.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

My parents are visiting from Philly and my oldest son is graduating from high school this week so it will be a bit of a celebration. I plan on opening a Jose Dhondt blanc de blancs, an '89 Muga Prado Enea and a '98 Jasmin Cote Rotie to drink with my folks. While excited by the wines, they are secondary to the family getting together.

1. 1999 Mugnier Chambolle Musigny Fuees (I have two bottles)--I like the finesse and elegance of C-M These were purchased as a wedding gift for a wedding that never took place so I will be the one opening them.

2. a Girardin Corton-Charlemagne probably 2001 or 2002

3. a 2002 Gunderloch Riesling Auslese Goldkap (I loved the regular Auslese so I'm taking John Trombley's word for it that I will love the Goldkap even more) It's a 375 ml. bottle.

5. a Chateau Lafite from a so-so vintage in the 90's (curious what a top growth can deliver in a less than stellar vintage and can't afford a bottle from a premium vintage) This may be opened in the next year or two

Mark S wrote:Well the only one burning holes for me is the 1968 Mastrobernadino Tarausi Riserva, because I've heard so much about it being the Holy Grail of aglianico. Very curious about it and cannot wait to pop it open. But what would pair with it??

Wow, Mark, a 38-year-old Taurasi would be tunneling its way out of my storage too! Age may have softened it considerably, so you might want to go simple and easy on the food pairing. Off the top of my head, grilled pork chops with herbs come to mind, maybe with a cheese-mushroom pasta dish. Could also try solo. In any case, please post a WTN!

Nifty question, Joe! Only two bottles for me:
1) 1973 Tokaji Aszu 4 Puttonos by Monimpex (the old state producer under Communism). Purchase price was $2.79.
2) 2002 Ch. Lafite Rothschild. This represents the only bottle of first growth juice that I've in my cellar. Purchase price was $99.

Mark S wrote:Well the only one burning holes for me is the 1968 Mastrobernadino Tarausi Riserva, because I've heard so much about it being the Holy Grail of aglianico. Very curious about it and cannot wait to pop it open. But what would pair with it??

Great stuff! Almost worth the prices (= joke). Richebourg was an immensely beautiful wine; and I also like the 2001 vintage very much: ripe but very savoury. But I would imagine it's shut down. The Vega Sicilia was also really nice when I tried it about a year ago. Though it's not the best Unico as you say, I still think it needs quite a bit of age.

2000 Graham's VP

Superb! I wish I had a case or two.

97 Chapoutier Le Bernardine CdP - Lill and I had this on our first date and I finally found another bottle of it. The recent reviews are only average at best and it was never a really great wine but it will be fun reminiscing when we open it.

But still a nice wine. I enjoyed it. Not all wine needs to be great and this was thoroughly enjoyable.

1982 Gruaud-Larose

It's survived well - deliciously bretty. Though I've mostly thought the vintage too warm, portly, not acidic enough, this wine I really liked - and not only because it's my birth year wine

A 2003 Dow--my only '03 Port and one I purchased by accident (clicked wrong line on an internet purchase and didn't catch it until I opened the shipment). If I open this beauty when it is in its prime then I will have enjoyed many more years of fine wine.

I'd love to have such an accident in my cellar. This was one of my favourites of the 2003 ports I've tried. Niepoort rocks also, but this was very, very close.

a Chateau Lafite from a so-so vintage in the 90's (curious what a top growth can deliver in a less than stellar vintage and can't afford a bottle from a premium vintage) This may be opened in the next year or two

Since 94 they've only done great wines. If your's is the 94 you're one lucky ba****d!

This sounds like I'm bragging, sorry. I have been lucky over the past year to taste some incredible wines. But some of the ones I most want to try from my cellar are actually pretty "humble" wines: I have a couple of older (compared to what is generally available) Pfalz wines from Biffar (a 96 and 98 Deidesheimer Grainhübel Riesling Spätlese Trocken); also a couple of cheap Karthäuserhof Kabinetts (1998s); Chérau-Carré's Muscadets (though I've drunk a fair bit already, I'm just dying to open one more ). In a way I am really happy I get to get tastes of some expensive, big names, because I realise that what brings me most joy are actually the Rieslings, the Musars and the Muscadets - all relative bargains. I also have a few older vintages of Haut-Bailly (78, 85, 86) which I want to open as this house makes IMO a lovely old style Graves - unspoofulated.

Cheers,
Otto

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.

Mark S wrote:Well the only one burning holes for me is the 1968 Mastrobernadino Tarausi Riserva, because I've heard so much about it being the Holy Grail of aglianico. Very curious about it and cannot wait to pop it open. But what would pair with it??

Both times I've had this wine it has been top notch. I'd suggest something light (quail?) and be sure to use a long worm since this bottle has the longest cork you'll ever see. While both bottles I tasted were holding, I'd drink within the next year.

2. '99 Merryvale Profile - because we bought this on our honeymoon and at the time it was quite a leap for us to spend more than $30 on any wine that we werent going to consume immediately. This wine drove me to get our first lil wine fridge. 3. '90 Chave - a wonderful gift from Anonymous Donor that I'm very excited to open but know that I should wait a few (many?) more years.4. '97 Chapoutier Le Bernardine CdP - Lill and I had this on our first date and I finally found another bottle of it. The recent reviews are only average at best and it was never a really great wine but it will be fun reminiscing when we open it.

I love it. Your answers have absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the wine, but of honeymoons, anonymous donors and first dates.
Wine is just fermented grape juice. The experience is what makes it more.